Electric shoe.



K. H. BROWN.

ELECTRIC SHOE.

APPLIOATION IILED maxzs. 190a.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914 mil/1,1114, A

'NITED sTATEs.

KATHERINE HAUSER BROWN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. i

nnnc'rmc snon.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Imam, 17, 19141, Application filed March 26, 1909. Serial No. 485,963.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KATHERINE HAUSER BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in shoes provided with electro-galvanic body devices as applicable in the art of therapeutics, and consists of a pair of shoesprovided with such devices so disposed therein as to be in electrical contact with the bottom of the feet at the heel and with the arteries and nerves of the lower extremities of the human body.

The novelty of my invention consists in locating in the heel of the shoe a' device comprising an insulated cell suitable for the retention of an electrolyte, such as acetic acidhaving immersed therein a quantity of carbon and copper and the means of connecting same with electrodes which in their normal position in the shoe brings them in electrical contact with the principal nerves and arteries of the lower extremities.

The object of my invention is to conveniently electrify the human body for the purpose of aiding the treatment, relief and cure of diseases. I attain this object with the device herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe partly in vertical section, showing my device arranged therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the upper, showing the position of the electrodes. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the heel of the shoe.

In the construction of shoes provided with my device superimposed zinc and copper plates 1 and 2 respectively, having vertically yicldable portions are attached to the insole 3 at the heel. Just in front of the center of the body portion of said plates a circular hole or opening is provided in the copper plate of the galvanic pair for the reception of a zinc conductor 4 attached firmly to and forming a part of the zinc plate. The end of said conductor or elec- 50 trode is adapted to project downward through a hole into the heel 5 of the shoe 6.

Around the projecting end and body portion of said conductor 4 an insulated cavity or cell 7 is provided for the reception of an 65 electrolyte. This cavity or cell is formed part next the cavity coatedwith the insulating material.

The numeral 9 indicates a pair of copper electrodes placed in the bottom of the cell against its rear wall and spaced from each other, as shown in Fig. 3.

The heel of the shoe is provided with a small cavity outside of the rear wall 8 of the cell 7 In this cavity the lower terminals of a pair of upwardly extending conductors 11 are located. Each of the copper electrodes 9 has a reduced portion or conductor formed integral therewith which extends through an opening in the wall 8 into the saidsmall cav1ty and connects with one of the depending conductor terminals.

Electrodes 10 are attached to the shoe upperand located so as to come in contact with the skin of a persons ankle just over the principal nerves and arteries supplying the lower extremities, the posterior tibial artery and the posterial tibial and exterior saphenous nerves on one side and the peroneal artery and the internal saphenous nerve on the other side. These electrodes are connected to the upper terminals of the conductors 11, before mentioned, which extend through each side of the shoe upper between the outer leather and the lining.

A quantity of the electrolyte is placed in the cavity or cell 7 so as to cover the electrodes 9, which form the anodes of the galvanic cell. When the wearer places his foot in the shoe his heel depresses the zinc plate 1 against the plate 2, thus forcing the cathode 4 down into the electrolyte. When this is done electrolytic action takes place immediately, and electric currents pass from the 1 teries.

The plates 1 and 2 as shown in Fig. 1, as well as the inner sole of the shoe and upper wall of the cell 7, are'provided with alining openings 12, through which the electrolyte contained in the said cellmay be renewed by the introduction of common vinegar. The usefulness of the device may be indefinitely prolonged'by the frequent introduction of the said common vinegar and by the frequent sand gapering or scraping of the foot contacting ectrodes;

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is:

The combination with a shoe, of an insulated cell dis osed in the heel thereof, a metallic electro e located within said shoe and having a movable portion disposed above the cell, the said electrode and the insole of the shoe being provided with alining openings communicating with the in terior of the cell, a vertically yieldable electrode of dissimilar metals disposed above the first electrode and having a depending portion movable through said openings and adapted to project into the cell to form the cathode thereof, an electrolyte provided within the cell, an anode disposedwithin the bottom of the cell, and a body contact plate connected electrically with the anode of the cell.

In testimony whereo'f I affix my signature in presence of two wltnesses.

KATHERINE HAUSER BROW N.

Witnesses:

L. W. LEWIS, R. MEAD. 

